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Having celebrated my 90th birthday July 4, I have been giving much thought to the many problems our country and our county faces. "Time is of the essence" was a term frequently used when I was in business many years ago. How I wish our government would apply it in regard to our environmental problems.

During this political season, I am dismayed by the obscene amounts of money spent by candidates and wonder how much good might be accomplished if those dollars were applied elsewhere.

Port Richey appears to be moving forward, but each morning as I look across Miller Bayou, I am confronted by the $100,000 fishing pier that was built upon a sandbar. Pasco County paid more than $350,000 in Department of Environmental Protection penalties and assessments of more than $2-million under Consent Order 05-2681. House Bill 721 and Senate Bill 1424, which deal with discharge of sewage, should be reviewed for compliance.

The flooding of New Orleans and the estimated 10,000 square miles of dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi River is another problem which has become worse by lack of attention. There are many more deficiencies in the care of our environment, some of which might be improved upon by simple measures such as larger building lot requirements and better drainage control. Eventually, these problems will have to be corrected and the longer we wait, the greater the cost.

I would hope that everyone will exercise his or her right to vote in the upcoming elections. Carefully qualify the candidates by past performance, rather than future promises.

Thank you for reading the ramblings of an old man.

Patrick Raimond, Port Richey

Homeowners group is ruthless

I live in Beacon Woods East, a subdivision in the Bayonet Point/Hudson area. In April I became ill and have been unable to hold a full-time job, and the jobs I hold have been jobs where I work from home.

Recently I was sent a letter from attorney Donald Peyton in New Port Richey stating that I had 45 days from Aug. 27 to pay $679.67. If I don't pay the amount, I will lose my home. Beacon Woods East Homeowners Association will foreclose on my home for an amount less than $700.

My intention was and is to pay my dues, but what makes this or any other subdivision able to appoint themselves as home stealers? I paid more than one-third down when purchasing my home in August 2007 when my job status was more than adequate to pay all of my bills; now I'm suffering.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one. There are others here who have actually paid their dues, but it went uncredited. I refuse to lose my home and will do whatever I have to do to keep it.

Pamela Wells, Bayonet Point

Alcohol should be allowed in park

I've lived in New Port Richey for 15 years. Good or bad economy, downtown has always been the same: dead. Alcohol should be sold at special events because of who benefits from the proceeds.

I've volunteered for Pinellas ARC and the Angelus in Hudson and have seen who benefits. Don't these kids also deserve to benefit from what Sims Park has to offer?

The referendum banning alcohol in the park was passed in 2000. Possibly, people's attitudes have changed on this issue.

I've attended festivals nationwide. Families and alcohol were there, and everything was okay. Legal alcohol sales cut down on illegal drinking and make it easier to control.

Why do some people have such a strange obsession about beer in the park? Annexing part of the park for a parking lot? Where were the protests over that?

I am tired of being considered a drunken loser because I'm from New Port Richey. There are many hardworking, respectable people here who resent that stereotype.

Hopefully, we can stop living in the past and look toward the future.

Patrick Morgan,New Port Richey

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